Wall Street ends on a positive note; S&P 500 notches another record

4:20pm: Nasdaq recovers to clinch a winning session On the first day of the year's second half, the Dow added 131 points, 0.4%, to close at 34,634. The Nasdaq had an up and down day but ended 18 points higher at 14,522, and the S&P 500 rose 22 points, 0.5%, to 4,320, another record close this week. Joblessness claims came in at 364,000, a decrease of 51,000 from the previous week and the lowest level since March 2020. That figure beat the 388,000 claims forecasted.  Traders will react tomorrow to the Friday jobs report. Economists expect that 683,000 jobs were added in June, according to a Dow Jones survey. 12.10pm: US indices mixed at mid-session US indices were mixed at mid-session as traders digested a range of economic data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added over 69 points at 34,572, while the S&P 500 added around 13 at 4,310. The tech-laden Nasdaq index, however, lost over 18 points at 14,485. "A mixed batch of data out of the US stifled the recent rise in the dollar, with a welcome decline in initial unemployment claims being somewhat undermined by rising continuing claims," said Joshua Mahony, senior market analyst at online trading group IG. "Meanwhile, todays ISM manufacturing PMI has provided a somewhat worrying omen for tomorrow’s jobs report, with the employment element of the survey falling into contraction for the first time in 2021. "With the ADP payrolls figure coming in below expectations, and the employment element of the manufacturing PMI in contraction, there is good reason to be cautious about forecasts of a 700k payrolls figure tomorrow." 9.45am: Proactive North America headlines: Exactus Inc (OTCQB:EXDI) buys Colorado hemp product producer Panacea Life Sciences in stock deal Safe-T Group Ltd (NASDAQ:SFET) reveals acquisition of SaaS security and privacy solutions provider CyberKick Avalon GloboCare Corp (NASDAQ:AVCO) says its planned acquisition target SenlangBio starts first-in-human clinical trial for recurrent brain cancer Gevo Inc (NASDAQ:GEVO) (FRA:ZGV3) nearing the tipping point for the commercialization of its renewable hydrocarbon technology, says Water Tower Research American Battery Metals Corporation (OTCQB:ABML) completes purchase of land at Tahoe Reno Industrial Park earmarked for a battery storage facility AEX Gold Inc (LON:AEXG, TSXV: AEX) applies for new exploration licence in South Greenland Perma-Fix Environmental Services Inc (NASDAQ:PESI) (FRA:PFX1) wins multi-million dollar service contract for Tritium Systems Demolition and Disposal project Kintara Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:KTRA) (FRA:3DM) (OTCMKTS:DMPWW) reports topline results from Phase 2 clinical study of VAL-083 for recurrent GBM Helix BioPharma Corp (TSE:HBP) (OTCMKTS:HBPCF) (FRA:HBP) plans management shakeup in September Empower Clinics Inc (CSE:CBDT) (OTCPINK:EPWCF) (FRA:8EC) sees fiscal 2020 revenue pop by 58% as its diagnostics lab churns through coronavirus tests Imagine AR Inc (CSE:IP) (OTCMKTS:IPNFF) (FRA:GMS1) says Global Sports Initiatives partnered with Ryan Norman Racing for the Honda Indy 200 Vox Royalty Corp (CVE:VOX) (OTCMKTS:VOXCF) appoints new chief investment officer; named as one of the 50 fastest growing companies of 2021 by The Silicon Review Steppe Gold Limited (TSE:STGO) (OTCQX:STPGF) (FRA:2J9) gets the go-ahead to cross-list on the Mongolian Stock Exchange 9.36am: Wall Street starts higher The main indices on Wall Street opened on a higher footing on Thursday after the weekly US jobless claims numbers came in ahead of expectations. Shortly after the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.28% at 34,599 while the S&P 500 rose 0.22% to 4,307 and the Nasdaq inched up 0.05% to 14,510. The positive open followed US jobless claims for last week came in better than expected, a further sign of the recovery of the US economy. The number of Americans seeking unemployment support in the week was 364,000, a decrease of 51,000 from the previous week and the lowest level since 14 March 2020. This is better than the fall to around 388,000 which had been forecast, meanwhile the previous week's figure was revised up by 4,000 to 415,000. Charles Hepworth, investment director at GAM Investments, said: "Whilst this data print is volatile week to week, the overall tone points to the slow continual improvement in the US economy and in particular the jobs market as the economy continues to reopen. "As certain states begin to phase out unemployment pandemic assistance, it is obvious that workers will feel more compelled to seek work and one has to expect, bar a resurgence of new variants hampering the reopening, the trend will see further declines in unemployment from here." 7:50am: Wall Street to open on a mixed note Wall Street is set for a mixed start following a similar performance on Wednesday. The Dow is expected to open 42 points or 0.05% higher and the S&P around 0.01%. But the Nasdaq is indicated 0.21% lower. Sophie Griffiths, market analyst at Oanda, said: "Today all eyes will be on US ISM manufacturing PMI, particularly the prices subcomponent, given the recent spike in inflation. The paid prices index is expected to inch lower to 87 in June, down from 88. Jobless claims and the Challenger jobs report will provide further clarity on the health of the US jobs market ahead of tomorrow's key non-farm payrolls." Also on the agenda is the return to the stock market of Krispy Kreme following a buyout in 2016. It will join Nasdaq with the ticker DNUT, but its shares have been set at $17 each, below the bottom end of the predicted price range. Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Timing is everything for an IPO, and this launch comes at a time when the public is becoming more health conscious, particularly following the pandemic where obesity now appears to have been a major factor in cases of severe sickness. "The fact that [the price] has come in well below the bottom of the expected range indicates that initial demand for shares was lukewarm. As with any new offering, there could well be a flurry of interest as soon as trading begins, with customers and retail investors still keen to get a bite of the action." Three things to watch for on Thursday: Companies delivering earnings on the first day of July include French’s Mustard owner McCormick & Co Inc (NYSE:MKC) and lighting and building management group Acuity Brands Inc (NYSE:AYI) Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) may also draw attention after the pharmacy chain upgraded its profit forecast On the macro front, jobless claims data will be in focus alongside manufacturing PMI readings